


Not Alone

by Zutara90



Category: Batman: Arkham (Video Games)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-29
Updated: 2017-08-29
Packaged: 2018-12-21 06:31:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11938320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zutara90/pseuds/Zutara90
Summary: Scarecrow’s plans to destroy Gotham end up bringing Batman and the Arkham Knight face to face, but it isn’t the meeting Batman had in mind. Can the Arkham Knight deal with the demons from his past? Can Batman save him? Can he even save himself? *MAJOR ARKHAM KNIGHT SPOILERS*





	1. Chapter 1

**WARNING: MAJOR AKRHAM KNIGHT SPOILERS! (Even in the next few sentences)**

**Author's Note:** The story starts out right where Batman is about to confront Scarecrow in Stagg Airship. I've changed the timeline quite a bit to fit a little better, but really just in terms of information, not events. So just for clarity, at this point in this story everyone knows that the Arkham Knight is Jason and everyone knows that Bruce is Batman. By the way, it’s much more fun to read if you can imagine Scarecrow’s voice from Arkham Knight in your head (all of their voices, really, but especially Scarecrow’s). It’s pretty epic. I hope you enjoy it! :)

* * *

 

**Chapter One**

It was turning out to be a long night. Batman was standing near the front of Stagg Airship. A door blocked his way, but it wasn't going to be a problem since he had already synthesized Stagg's fingerprints. And he couldn't stop now. Not when Scarecrow was just on the other side of the door. He had to stop him. If Scarecrow got a hold of the Cloudburst device, there was no telling the amount of damage he could do to the city and its people. Batman placed his palm to the center of the door and pushed, triggering a mechanical voice:

"Identity confirmed. Welcome, Mr. Stagg."

Once through the door, Batman met a sight he couldn't quite understand. There were two Scarecrows standing in front of him, both with their backs turned, too occupied with their own computer terminals to notice his entrance. The sight itself might have once confused him, but he had been seeing a lot of strange things lately. He knew it was some trick of the mind. Joker had been haunting him all night. Seeing two Scarecrows wasn't all that outlandish by comparison. But that still left a choice and he would only get one shot at it. Acting on instinct, he silently approached the figure on the left, figuring that if he chose incorrectly, his right-handedness would give him a better chance at defending himself if the real Scarecrow attacked from the right.

He was wrong on both accounts.

As he spun the left Scarecrow around to face him, he was greeted not by Scarecrow's masked face, but by Joker's corrupted one, which proceeded to cackle maniacally inches from his own. Before Batman could turn, the real Scarecrow was on him, injecting his fear toxin into his chest. Immediately, Batman could feel it spreading through his body, leeching into his mind. He could deal with the fear. But there was something new to Crane's formula.

"Pain, Batman. My new toxin causes immeasurable pain. I've been wanting to test it on a proper subject. And here I find a willing volunteer. That dose represents the last of my new formula. You should be honored," Scarecrow said with a sadistic smile.

Batman fell to his knees, clutching at his chest where he had been injected. He struggled to stand, but simply didn't have the strength. He groped around on the hard floor, his world spinning around him. Finally, he collapsed onto his back, allowing himself to focus solely on breathing, the only thing he could willingly force his body to do. Then it hit him.

A wall of agony crashed into him like nothing he had ever felt before. And he had been through a lot. He'd been shot, been stabbed, had broken nearly every bone in his body at some point in his life. But nothing like this. Anyone else would have passed out from the pain within seconds. Probably wouldn't even have survived the dose. Batman merely gritted his teeth, not giving Crane the satisfaction of knowing how much pain he was truly in.

Scarecrow had been circling Batman, observing the effects of his toxin. Now he edged closer, bending slightly to lean over Batman's prone form. "Give in to the pain, Batman. Give in to the fear."

Batman's resolve was wavering. He arched his back in response to a sudden crack of pain, his fists clenching. A grunt escaped his lips.

Seemingly pleased by Batman's response, Scarecrow slowly resumed his circuit around him. "I quickly discovered that pain alone is bearable. Unpleasant, perhaps, but bearable." Scarecrow spoke as if his toxin were a mere pinprick. As if it hadn't reduced Gotham's Dark Knight to a writhing mass on the floor. "You see, it's the fear that is necessary to break someone. Even you, Batman. You fear that the pain will not end. That it will tear you apart until death finally appears as the most merciful option. As the fear creeps into your mind, slithers into your soul, your body revolts. Hope gives it a reason to keep living, but fear… fear drags it down to the bottom of the ocean until you are drowning in your own misery, devoid of any reason to keep fighting, for your heart to keep beating. Give in to that fear, Batman."

The pain had spread through every inch of Batman's body. He could feel it in every fiber of his being like he was being buried alive in the blazing inferno of Gotham's destruction. But he wouldn't give in. Gotham needed him, now more than ever.

In between pained gasps, Batman hissed, "Never."

"You do not disappoint, Dark Knight. I cannot deny that I would have been a little let down had you given in that easily. Still, I would have ended it for you here and now. Mercifully brought your foolish struggle to save this forsaken city to its inevitable close. Now, it seems, I will have to forfeit my claim on your life to another. One who has more significant debts to settle. We will not meet again."

Batman could barely hear his words. They blurred together into an unintelligible cacophony. He couldn't move, couldn't think. His muscles, tendons, bones, his very blood was on fire. It felt like his veins were going to erupt. His heart pounded so fast it was going to burst through his ribcage. It wasn't even until he felt his cowl lifting from his face that he realized a presence other than Scarecrow's was looming over him.

It was the Arkham Knight. Jason.

"Hello, Bruce."

At Jason's appearance, Batman pushed the pain back as far as he could long enough to see one of the Arkham Knight's brutes grab the Cloudburst, carrying it over his shoulder as he followed Crane through the door.

 _No_.

Stealing Batman's attention back was Jason, who stood off to Batman's side. "You're all mine now. I think it's about time we get reacquainted."

Batman's eyes were already starting to roll back into his head, his body once again settling into its new certainty of pain. As his eyes unfocused, the last hazy image he beheld was Jason rearing back to smash his fist into his temple. Batman didn't even feel it over the pain induced by the toxin. Then the world darkened until the total absence of feeling became a blissful reprieve.

* * *

 

"Alfred, I can't get through to Bruce."

"I haven't heard from him either, Master Tim. It's been over an hour now since he last contacted me about the Cloudburst device. He had said that he was closing in on Scarecrow, but he should have reported in by now. I fear that something has happened to him."

Robin was worried about Batman too. It wasn't like him to leave them hanging like this. Especially when the stakes were so high.

Batman had said that working on the Joker cure was the most important thing Robin could be doing, so he had stayed behind at Panessa Studios while Batman went to confront Scarecrow. But Batman wasn't always right. Robin should have gone with him. He should have insisted despite how hard it was to argue with the Dark Knight, let alone win. Maybe they were worried about nothing. Maybe Batman had simply gotten himself into a tight spot requiring stealth and, subsequently, radio silence. It certainly wouldn't have been the first time. But that gnawing worry at the back of Robin's head told him otherwise. Batman was in trouble.

"Sir? Master Tim, did you hear me?"

"Yeah, sorry, Alfred. I agree. I don't like this one bit. I'm going to check his GPS tracker, just to be sure."

"Very good, sir."

Accessing the Batcomputer, Robin quickly attempted to zero in on Batman's location. Only instead of a set of coordinates, an error message popped up:

**GPS disabled. Unable to access location.**

"What the…? This is not good, Alfred."

"What is it, sir? Where is he?" Alfred asked, concern lacing his words.

"I don't know."

"What do you mean?"

"His GPS has been disabled. It doesn't make any sense. No one except the two of us and Bruce know how to disable that device and... oh no." Realization suddenly hit Robin as he spoke. Jason. Jason would have known how to do it. And would have had the biometric access as well. His fingerprints and retinal scans were still in the computer, still functional. Neither Batman nor Alfred had removed them after they thought Jason had died. There had been no need to. And, even after so long, Batman had found it difficult to do anything concerning Jason, let alone erase his data from the mainframe. Robin had let it be. Again, he figured there was no use deleting it anyway and, eventually, they forgot about the fact that his biometrics were in the system at all. Jason wasn't ever coming back. Except, now he was.

"It's the Arkham Knight, Alfred. Jason. His biometric access is still in the computer," Robin explained as he furiously typed on the keyboard. "And now he has Bruce, God knows where."

It was easy enough to revoke Jason's access, but the damage had already been done. Robin frustratingly pounded a fist onto the desk, a pen holder toppling over from the force of the impact, its contents clattering to the floor.

"I'm going out there."

Robin was grateful Alfred didn't try to stop him. He was tired of people telling him to stay behind.

"Might I suggest enlisting Master Dick's help, sir?"

"Already on it."

Robin flipped over to the feed of Nightwing's face. He looked to be crouching on a rooftop somewhere.

"What's up, Tim? I don't hear from you too often."

"Where are you right now?"

"Chasing down another lead on Penguin's weapons caches. I swear, these goons get more and more stupid as time goes on. I've been following their van for the last half hour, listening to their radio feeds. They've just been blabbering on and on about Penguin's plans. Cobblepot really needs to step it up in the henchmen department. It's not even a challenge anymore." Nightwing must have noticed the worry in Robin's face because his tone instantly changed. "Tim, what's wrong?"

"Bruce is in trouble. I need your help."

Nightwing didn't question him. Didn't need a reason. Dick had always been like that. Everything was all fun and games to him. Every mission a thrill. Every villain just another trophy on the mantel. But not when it came to their little family. He may have been cavalier with his own life, but not with others. Especially not one of his friends. His face shedding all traces of amusement, Dick grew deadly serious and just asked, "Where?"

"Meet me at Panessa. I'll fill you in once you get here."

"I'm on my way."

Once Nightwing cut out, Robin switched the feed back to Alfred.

"Alfred, have the Batwing run a thermoscan over all three islands."

"That's going to take a terribly long time, sir. Not to mention the fact that it will be nearly impossible to differentiate Master Bruce's thermal signature from that of the other people still left on the islands."

"I know, Alfred, but it's all we have. Focus your efforts on Founder's Island. That's the Arkham Knight's stronghold. If he's holding Bruce somewhere, he's more likely to be there."

"Very well, sir, I shall get started right away."

"Thanks, Alfred. Keep me posted."

"And, sir?" Alfred edged in before Robin could change the screen. Robin looked up again at Alfred's worried face. "Please be careful, both of you."

Nodding in affirmation, Robin replied, "We will."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Batman groggily opened his eyes, letting out a soft groan as he lifted his head. The room was dark and disheveled, large enough that he couldn't see all the way to the wall on either side of him in the gloom, though he could make out the faint outline of the door in front of him. A generator powered a set of construction lights that pointed directly at Batman, making it hard to see past them. Most likely he was in some abandoned building that the Arkham Knight had claimed for his own.

He was hanging from the ceiling by his wrists, both of which were tied to together with a thick rope that led up to the rafters. It was just long enough to allow him to stand. His feet were similarly tied, only they were tied separately, and the rope did allow him to move his feet about six inches in either direction. Not enough to cause any damage to his captors. Not enough to break free. Jason knew him all too well.

As if on cue, the Arkham Knight stepped forward from the shadows near the door. He still had his helmet on so his voice came out more mechanized than it should have sounded. "Took you long enough, Bruce. I've been waiting for over an hour. I think you're losing your touch."

"Jason…"

"Right, I guess there's no need to stand on ceremony here," Jason smirked. The Arkham Knight removed his helmet completely, revealing the branded  _J_  under his left eye. "Now we're on equal footing." Jason smiled, but there was no trace of light in his eyes. Only pain and hatred.

It was then that Batman realized his cowl was gone, not that it concerned him. Everyone already knew his identity. He would have liked to scan the building however. It always payed to know exactly how many enemies he was facing. Assuming that he could escape.

"Where are we?" Batman didn't really expect an answer, he just wanted to get Jason talking.

"That doesn't concern you anymore. You're never going to leave this place. And don't think that your little sidekick is going to come save you either. I've disabled the tracking device in your suit."

 _The biometrics._  Jason still had access to the computer. He had forgotten that they were still in there. Pushing down the guilt over Jason's death, pushing down any thought of Jason, had been the only way he could get through the last few years. There had been several occasions when the grief and guilt had threatened to consume him. When he could barely find the strength to crawl out of bed.

"I would have removed the suit entirely, but it seems my replacement must have realized I still had access sometime while you were unconscious," he added with a sneer, stalking closer to Batman. "It doesn't really matter. I still know the weak points in your armor. I think it's time you finally learned firsthand what I went through in the Asylum."

Grabbing an aluminum bat that was leaning against the wall, Jason came at Batman, swinging it into his side. Batman hissed, surprised at the amount of pain that radiated from the impact.

The noise didn't escape Jason's notice. "I guess Crane forgot to tell you about some of the side effects of his toxin. The pain fades, but the toxin leaves the nerves in a heightened state of sensitivity for a couple of hours. It's especially bad for those who have been gassed by his toxins before. Too bad for you."

Walking past Batman to his other side, Jason turned and delivered three quick blows to Batman's ribcage. With the third, Batman could feel several ribs crack and his breath caught through clenched teeth. He had to get Jason talking. If he could do that, there was still a chance he could get through to him. Batman refused to believe that Jason was beyond help. Scarecrow had the Cloudburst and would release his toxin into the city any minute. He just had to convince Jason to let him go. Somehow.

"Jason, I know this isn't you."

"You don't know anything about me anymore." Jason snapped, suddenly angry. "You left me there to die. You betrayed me."

"That's not what happened."

"Oh really? So I just imagined the whole thing, is that it?" Jason asked incredulously.

"A part of me died that day. The day Joker sent me the video. You were dead, Jason. I watched you die!"

"You're lying!" In an outburst of rage, Jason started beating Batman once again, raining blows across his body. "You never cared!"

"Joker got in your head, Jason!" Batman shouted in an attempt to distract the Arkham Knight. He succeeded in forcing Jason to pause his assault. "He got in mine too. He still is. I know what it's like."

"You know nothing. It doesn't matter if Joker got in my head, I would have hated you anyway. You left me there to rot for over a year."

"That's exactly what he wants you to think, Jason."

"Stop calling me that. Jason doesn't exist anymore. I am the Arkham Knight."

So that was it. Jason's pushing point. Batman then knew how to get through to him. He just had to remind him who he was. Jason had tucked away his identity to survive Joker's torture. Had driven it into the ground until nothing of his former life remained. Batman had to bring it back out. He might end up digging up all of the pain, the suffering, but he would unearth the good things too. Love, friendship, loyalty, honor. They would win out. They had to. Or Gotham was doomed.

"Jason."

"I said, stop calling me that!" Wild fury lit Jason's eyes as he spun and struck at Batman's lower leg, cleanly snapping the bone.

Batman cried out as the agony surged up his leg. He could have hidden it, as he usually did, but Jason needed to see it. Needed to see the outcome of his actions. It might just be enough to save him.

Jason backed off a step, but didn't show any outward reaction to Batman's cry. He still just looked angry. Angry at the world, at Batman.

Panting from the pain, Batman beseeched, "It's not too late, Jason. Come with me. Let us help you."

As Jason backed away from him, Batman thought that maybe he had finally broken through. He sagged slightly on the rope. Jason retreated into a corner out of Batman's line of sight, but Batman heard the dull  _thunk_  as the bat slid to the ground. But when Jason returned, he was holding a gun. The hair on the back of Batman’s neck began to rise.

"It is too late, Bruce. A few years too late to be exact. I've been chasing you long enough. It's time for you to die."

"Don't do this, Jason. Don't let Joker win."

The cool calm that had settled over Jason instantly dissipated only to be replaced by a feral snarl. In two steps, he was right next to Batman, shoving the barrel of the pistol between two plates of the Batsuit, just below the chest. One of the armor's weakest points. "Shut up! You don't get to tell me what to do anymore."

Jason ground the gun still further into Batman's side. It eventually dug in far enough to hit Batman's broken ribs, bringing a wince to his face.

Batman didn't know what to do anymore. Nothing he had said seemed to bring Jason back, only unhinge him further. The next thing he said could very well be his last, but he still had to try. If not for his own sake, then for Gotham's. And Jason's.

He played his last card.

"You're not Joker's pawn. You're not the Arkham Knight. You're Jason Todd. You are Robin."

A moment of silence filled the room at Batman's words. Hesitating for a heartbeat, Jason ground his teeth, his lip quivering, curling into a sneer. When Jason's eyes hardened, Batman knew he had failed.

"That's where you're wrong," Jason stated. Then pulled the trigger.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Batman was too shocked to feel the bullet lodge inside him. Too shocked to feel the cold sting of failure ripple down his spine.

He struggled for breath as the world before him dimmed. A puddle of blood was quickly collecting at his feet and the rope soon became the only thing holding him up. But he was still alive. Still breathing.

Since shooting Batman, Jason had slowly made his way to the door. His footsteps were lingering, unsure, as though he didn't know what to do with himself. As though he were contemplating his next move after the ultimate goal of his revenge had been accomplished.

Batman had long since come to terms with his eventual death. He wasn't afraid to die. At least not to the extent that it would simply end his own life. He was afraid to die and leave the city in the hands of people like Scarecrow. Now, he was certain he wouldn't last much longer and there was no way of knowing whether Robin could get to Scarecrow in time. Jason was his last hope.

As Jason reached for the handle, Batman spoke, his voice weak and halting.

"Please, Jason. Don't let Scarecrow get away with this."

Jason paused at the door, his hand outstretched. He tilted his head slightly to the side, glancing backwards.

"You once swore to me that you would protect Gotham, no matter the cost."

Jason turned to face Batman, his internal struggle playing out on his face. Seeing Jason's confliction, Batman pressed again, repeating his earlier statement.

"You are Robin. You always will be. Save Gotham, please."

There was something about Jason that was different from the way he was before he had shot Batman, but Batman couldn't put a finger on it. He was subdued. But not in the cool, killing-calm way that he had been as the Arkham Knight. It was almost as though he were resigned, hollow. He looked tired. Like the fire of his spirit had furiously burned itself out until there were only ashes remaining.

After what seemed like an eternity, Jason moved, bringing his arm up to his face. He pressed a button on his wrist, opening a coms link.

"Commander, destroy the Cloudburst device. Then order everyone to stand down."

A confused voice answered back. "Are you sure, sir? What about Scarecrow?"

"He's no threat without the Cloudburst. We're done in Gotham."

Jason ended the call and pressed a few more buttons on his suit before looking over to Batman. Batman gazed back at him with half-lidded eyes.

He simply said, "Thank you." And truly meant it.

After a minute of silence, Jason opened his mouth to respond, but didn't get a chance to speak as the door behind him crashed open.

Scarecrow stepped into the room.

* * *

Robin and Nightwing had been scouring the city, interrogating every thug they met trying to find Batman. But even the Arkham Knight's men didn't know where Batman was. They didn't even know the Knight had taken him. That or they were very good liars. Robin doubted it. He had littered the Arkham Knight's men with a slew of welts and broken bones. He had yet to meet a man who was that good at lying.

At his wits end, Robin grappled up to another rooftop on the southern side of Founder's Island, near Port Adams. Then he got a call.

"What is it, Alfred?" Robin hadn't meant to snap at Alfred. He was just so frustrated that he was powerless to help Batman. Alfred must have known how Robin felt because he brushed over his irritated tone without comment. It would seem he was too excited to comment anyway.

"I've found him, Master Tim!"

The words sparked new life into Robin and he stood and surveyed the city, as if he could suddenly see where Batman was.

"Where?!"

"In an abandoned building on Bleake Island. I'm sending the coordinates to you now."

A pang of guilt ran through Robin at the news. He had been wrong about the Arkham Knight being on Founder's Island. He had been looking in the wrong place. Had sent Alfred to look in the wrong place. He should have seen it. Founder's Island was too obvious. Jason had out-thought them again.

"Alfred, how did you find him? I had you focusing on Founder's Island."

"I didn't find him with the thermal scan. His GPS tracker suddenly came back online a moment ago."

"That doesn't make any sense. What was the ID on the change?" The Batcomputer registered any change in settings to any of its linked components, including the Batsuit, and recorded the identity of whoever issued it. Robin hadn't needed the confirmation when Batman's GPS had been disabled. He knew what had happened. But the ID from a few moments ago might give him an idea of what was happening now.

"That's just it, sir. There wasn't one."

"How is that possible?"

"I suppose the Arkham Knight… Master Jason, could have installed a backdoor when he accessed the GPS the first time, giving him access if he decided to enable the feature at some point in the future."

"It could be a trap then. He could be luring us to his location."

"Indeed. I would proceed with caution."

There was nothing cautious about what Robin was about to do. He was going to storm in there and tear down whoever he had to to save Batman, trap or no trap.

"Inform Dick. I'll meet him there."

* * *

Scarecrow appeared calm, but Batman could detect a suppressed rage beneath his words.

"I always knew you would betray me."

"What do you mean?"

Both Scarecrow and Jason stood facing each other next to the door, only a few feet between them. Utterly unconcerned by Jason's imposing presence, Scarecrow had his hands clasped behind his back. Jason somehow shrank before him, confusion the only thing apparent on his face.

"It was an inevitability. One that I had hoped we could avoid, but it seems that particular ship has sailed."

"Why would you bring me in if you knew I would betray you? You were the one who came to me! You said you needed me!"

"And I did. I needed you to kill the Batman, the only one who could get in my way."

"You  _used_  me?"

Jason had been growing twitchier as the conversation had progressed. His fingers had been clutching and unclutching the gun in his hand, but now he grasped it firmly, bringing it up to point directly at Scarecrows head. The action did nothing to intimidate Scarecrow, who stood, unflinching, where he was.

"Indeed. You were a necessary risk. But now, it seems, you have outgrown your usefulness."

Batman could see the rage growing in Jason's eyes. He was losing control. And it would end up costing him.

Lunging forward, Scarecrow managed to inject Jason with his toxin. Firing out of instinct, Jason shot Scarecrow through the chest. As Jason reeled back, clutching his arm, Scarecrow fell. His mouth moved wordlessly for a few seconds before he finally lay still.

Batman couldn't believe what was happening. He tore his eyes away from Scarecrow as Jason started stumbling across the room, talking to himself, becoming frantic.

Jason was holding his head, shouting, "No, no, no, make it stop!"

Batman was fading fast. It was lucky that he still had his Batsuit on because the compression within it was the only thing that had kept him from bleeding out until that point. Fighting against the darkness, Batman gathered himself enough to try to calm Jason.

"Jason! It's not real. It's only the toxin."

Deaf to Batman's words, Jason continued thrashing.

"I can hear him laughing. He won't stop. I can't get him out of my head!"

Batman knew what he was hearing. It was the same thing he heard at night, when everything else had gone quiet. Joker.

"Just calm down, we can get through this together. You're not alone anymore, Jason."

"No. No, it's too late. I can't."

Something had changed in Jason's voice. He had been crashing around blindly, but now he looked right at Batman, despair transforming his features. Jason had been teetering on the edge all night and Scarecrow's toxin had just pushed him over it. Reaching a point of no return, Jason had tumbled into a bottomless pit. A place where fear meant nothing, but neither did hope.

"No, Jason. Don't give in to the fear."

"I can't do it, Bruce. I'm sorry. I can't go back. The Arkham Knight doesn't exist anymore. But neither does Jason Todd. There's nothing left for me."

Jason raised the gun slowly upward, settling it against the side of his head. Batman watched in horror, his words growing quiet.

"Jason, what are you doing?"

"I'm ending it. For good."

"Jason, don't do it!"

Batman mustered what little strength he had left to struggle against his bonds. The pain didn't matter, nor the blood that gushed from his bullet wound. All that mattered was that he stopped Jason. He couldn't lose him. Not again.

But the rope held tight.

Jason softly said, "Goodbye, Bruce," as a single tear slid down his cheek.

"Noooooooo!"

But it was too late. Jason was gone.

It was all too much. There weren't many things that could send Batman over the edge, but every man had his limits and, in the end, he was only a man. As the blood drained away and the grief settled in, Batman, for the first time in his life, let himself drift away until unconsciousness freed him from the anguish.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Their timing was perfect. Just as Robin clambered atop the building that held Batman, Nightwing appeared from over the other side.

"Are you ready?" Robin queried.

"Absolutely," answered Nightwing, cold determination evident on his face.

The building was about seven stories high which meant they didn't have too many levels to check, unless there were sublevels. They quickly made their way to the elevator, stepping inside to find out that there were, indeed, two sublevels.

Robin turned to Nightwing.

"Start at the bottom?"

Nightwing just nodded his head once in response, then pressed the button for the lowest floor. The doors slid closed, leaving them in the flickering fluorescent light that came from overhead.

As the silence grew awkward, they finally addressed the topic they had been avoiding all night. Nightwing was the first to speak.

"What are we going to do about Jason?"

"Whatever we have to." Robin had never met Jason, but knew that Nightwing and, obviously, Batman had had a very close relationship with him. He wasn't entirely sure that they could be objective when it came to dealing with the Arkham Knight. It might come down to him in the end. "Look, I can't even imagine what you're going through with this, but you have to realize that he isn't the Jason you knew."

Looking Robin in the eye, Nightwing replied, "I know. I just… can't believe it." Giving a half-hearted smile, he added, "Don't worry about me. I'll do whatever's necessary to save Bruce."

At that moment, the doors opened to reveal an empty room with several doors leading off of it. Pulling his escrima sticks from the holster on his back, Nightwing gestured them forward, leading the way into the darkness. Robin moved to the left-most door, turning the handle and inching it open with a slight creak. He glanced inside, but didn't need to go in because it was only a small, rectangular room. There were no places to hide. Scanning the room in an instant, he called over his shoulder to Nightwing. "Nothing."

Nightwing had started from the other side of the room and seemed to be having just as much luck as Robin was. Robin moved on to the next door. It was in the middle of the room and stood directly in front of the elevator. The handle turned, but when he pushed on the door, it didn't move. Somewhat nonplussed, he shoved harder and succeeded in opening the door a few inches, enough to see a light coming from inside. He heard Nightwing swear from somewhere off to his right and glanced back to see him moving on to another door. When he returned his gaze to the room, he saw something glinting from the floor. Suddenly, he realized what it was. It was one of Scarecrow's syringes, still attached to an unmoving hand.

"Nightwing, over here!"

Nightwing was beside him in a flash, ready for a fight.

"Help me open this door."

Between the two of them, they managed to force the door open. In front of them was Batman, illuminated by the blaring lights immediately to their right. He was covered in blood, with a good deal of it pooled at his feet. His arms were stretched out above his drooping head as he hung limply from the ceiling, one leg bent to the side at an impossible angle, the other buckling slightly at the knee.

Robin was the first to race forward at the sight of their friend.

"Bruce!"

Standing in front of Batman, Robin felt for a pulse. An erratic rhythm beat beneath his fingers. Batman was alive, but probably not for long.

"He's alive," Robin said with relief. When Nightwing offered no response, Robin turned back toward the door. "Nightwing—"

Robin's statement fell short as he looked first at Nightwing, who stood staring at the two bodies behind the door, then at the bodies themselves, until he realized that one of them was Jason. With a bullet hole through his head.

"Oh no," he said under his breath. He looked up at Nightwing, dropping the use of his code name. The situation was too personal for that. "Dick, I'm sorry."

"I…" was all that Nightwing could get out as he continued to stare in disbelief at the scene in front of him.

Robin didn't want to be cold, but he knew that Batman's life still hung in the balance. Willing as much sympathy into his voice as he could, Robin called to Nightwing. "Dick, I need your help. We have to get Bruce out of here."

As if breaking free from a trance, Nightwing turned and walked over to Batman as Robin tried to rouse him.

"Bruce? Bruce, can you hear me?"

Lifting his head fractionally, Batman answered in a faint whisper. "Tim."

A small amount of relief spread through Robin at the sound of Batman's voice. At least he was still talking. "We're getting you out of here, Bruce. Just hold on."

Batman made no attempt to stand. Didn't move at all except to let his head slump back down to his chest. It wasn't a good sign. Motioning to Nightwing to hold Batman up, Robin cut the ropes binding his feet and wrists, then ducked underneath one of Batman's arms to help support him.

Batman didn't utter a sound until they were about to head through the door, when he weakly muttered, "Wait…Jason…we can't…leave him."

From either side of Batman, Robin and Nightwing looked towards each other, nodded. Nightwing transferred Batman's full weight over to Robin saying, "I'll bring him," before going over to Jason's lifeless body and lifting him over his shoulders.

So laden, they made their way back to the elevator and stepped inside. The ride back to the roof was aggravatingly slow, made all the worse by the fact that Robin could hear Batman's breathing grow ever more ragged.

"Come on," he bade the elevator impatiently.

Along the way, Robin took the chance to contact Alfred.

"Master Tim, have you found him?"

"Yes…"

"Oh, thank heavens."

"…but he's in bad shape, Alfred. I need you to send the Batwing to our location immediately. And alert the emergency medical staff at Wayne Tower. Bruce has been shot. He's going to need surgery as soon as possible."

Doing his best to hide his anxiety over the news, Alfred said, "Right away, sir."

Robin was thankful that they had a medical team waiting at Wayne Tower. It had actually been Lucius' idea, most likely at Alfred's prompting. Lucius had sought out and put together a team of doctors they could trust with Batman's secret identity. He figured Batman would eventually need more medical treatment than either he or Alfred could provide and Batman couldn't very well go to the hospital without blowing his cover. It didn't matter now whether or not Batman's identity got out, but all of the doctors at the hospital had fled during the evacuation. If not for the team at Wayne Tower, Batman wouldn't have had a chance.

Once on the roof, they clambered onto the ramp of the already waiting Batwing. As soon as they were aboard, Robin informed Alfred and had him set a course for Wayne Tower.

Nightwing set Jason down in a corner near the cockpit while Robin eased Batman to the floor, taking care not to further aggravate any of his injuries, seen or unseen. Then they hurriedly set about tending to Batman's wounds. The most pressing matter was the gunshot wound. They needed to stop the bleeding or Batman wouldn't even make it to Wayne Tower. Robin was already covered in Batman's blood from the short journey to the roof and Nightwing's hands were quickly being coated in it as he held the hole in Batman's side.

"I need the med kit, now!" Nightwing called, but Robin was already on his way back from the cockpit, a small box in tow.

Together they stripped off the upper half of the Batsuit to gain better access to the wound. As the armor fell away, even more blood gushed from Batman's body than before and they could fully appreciate the extent of Batman's injuries. His entire torso was covered in purple and green bruising and one side of his rib cage stuck out at an unnatural angle, revealing several broken ribs. Stepping back, Robin surveyed Batman's leg and saw that it was completely snapped in half just above the ankle. Sometimes, it surprised even Robin how much of a beating Batman could take. But it just seemed impossible that anyone could survive the injuries Batman had sustained. Robin fought the panic rising in his throat. Nightwing snapped him back to the present.

"He'll need surgery to get the bullet out, but we need to stop the bleeding or it won't matter."

Robin deferred to Nightwing's expertise on the matter. Batman had, of course, taught him rudimentary first aid skills, but Nightwing had much more experience in that area and Batman needed all the help he could get. Handing Nightwing a small packet, Robin watched him pour the contents onto the wound and listened to the faint sizzling as the small crystals cauterized it. The bleeding slowed to a crawl.

"Hand me that gauze and tape," Nightwing ordered, pointing toward the open med kit. He bandaged the wound and the pressure was enough to stop the bleeding entirely. They both breathed a sigh of relief. "That should hold until we get there. What's our ETA?"

"About five minutes."

Had Batman been anywhere else in Gotham, they would have already arrived at the tower. But the building the Arkham Knight had chosen was about as far away from Wayne Tower as it could have been. Whether that was by design or not, Robin didn't know.

Leaning back against the row of cargo seats, Nightwing remained on the floor next to Batman while Robin stood across from him, arms crossed. Neither one wanted to take their eyes off of Batman, his health being in such a precarious state. It was a good thing too because a minute later, Batman's chest stopped moving. The change was almost imperceptible, shallow as his breathing already was. If not for the fact that they had been watching him like a hawk, they might have missed it.

Robin came charging forward, but Nightwing was already there, placing a finger to Batman's neck. Dread surfaced behind his eyes.

"No, no, no, come on, Bruce. Don't you dare die on me."

Nightwing started giving batman CPR, but the seconds ticked by without any response from Batman. Both of them were growing frantic.

"Come on. Come on! Breathe! I'm not losing you too," Nightwing barked at Batman.

Standing off to the side, Robin felt so helpless as he watched Nightwing try to revive their mentor. Someone who had been like a father to both of them.

The Batwing was really only meant to be a carrier vessel and didn't house any medical supplies other than the med kit they had already been using. It certainly didn't have a defibrillator. There was nothing on board that could help them. Unless…

"Dick! Your escrima sticks!"

It was verging on a minute since Batman had stopped breathing. Nightwing had been losing steam, seemingly torn between not wanting to give up on Batman and knowing that he would soon be beyond help. But understanding instantly dawned on his face when he looked up at Robin's outburst. He pulled the sticks from his back and charged them, placing one on Batman's side and the other over the center of his chest, sending a quick pulse from both simultaneously. Batman's chest heaved, but he remained unresponsive. Another pulse. Nothing.

After the third failed attempt, Nightwing switched off the electricity, hanging his head. Robin looked at him in disbelief.

"What are you doing?!" Robin asked angrily.

"Tim, he's gone," answered Nightwing consolingly.

"Turn them up."

"What?"

"Turn up the electricity and do it again," Robin commanded.

"It's not safe to turn them up any higher. It could cause permanent damage."

"He's already dead! Just do it!" Robin screamed, his voice cracking with the emotion.

Grinding his teeth with a moment's contemplation, Nightwing nodded his head at Robin and plunged the sticks once again into Batman's chest. The electricity burned its way over Batman's skin.

The escrima sticks left two charred rings where they had contacted Batman's body, but as soon as Nightwing pulled them back, Batman drew in a gasping breath, causing both Robin and Nightwing to jump back out of shock. Batman's chest continued to softly rise and fall, but Nightwing yet again checked his pulse, just to be sure.

"He's back. I can't believe it, but he's back," said Nightwing, a restrained joy coating the words.

Robin had never felt his heart beat so fast. Not able to express anything in words, he merely slid his hands over his head and sat down in one of the seats across from Nightwing. The next few minutes were some of the longest in his life. They waited with bated breath, praying that Batman wouldn't flatline again. Robin knew Batman wouldn't make it out a second time.

Finally. Finally, they heard the computer's voice announce, "Now arriving at Wayne Tower."

Before the landing gear even hit the ground, Robin was jumping from the Batwing to meet the doctors who were rushing toward them with a gurney and several bags of blood strung up above it. Nightwing stayed behind to lower the ramp.

In a flash, they had Batman on the gurney and Robin and Nightwing were running alongside the doctors, wheeling Batman back into the building to undergo emergency surgery. Robin let Nightwing explain what had happened, still too emotional to tell the story himself.

Before Robin and Nightwing knew it, the doctors had turned the gurney into the operating room and they had to pull back, leaving Batman in the doctors' capable hands. They were some of the best doctors in the world. But that didn't make it any easier when the doors closed and Batman was lost to their sight.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Batman stood atop a tall building, looking out over the city. It had been two months since that night. The night everything had changed.

Robin and Nightwing stood further behind him, conversing in hushed tones.

"How long has he been standing there?" Nightwing asked, having just arrived.

"Over an hour now," replied Robin.

Bruce hadn't been himself since that night. He didn't wake up until a week after the surgery. The doctors had feared that he would never wake up after losing so much blood and going so long without any oxygen to his brain. They had said that it was a miraculous recovery. Alfred had been beside himself when he had found out what had happened. Then ecstatic when Bruce had finally awoken. He had hardly left his side since.

For a month, Bruce didn't leave Wayne Manor. Robin might have blamed it on the doctors since they had ordered Bruce to bed rest. But Bruce had never followed their orders before. The only time he had left the walls of the house was to attend Jason's funeral, which Bruce insisted they have on the grounds itself. Bruce didn't say a word to anyone for a week after that.

Unaware of the anguish of its Dark Knight, Gotham had continued on following Scarecrow's demise. The city had repopulated once everyone had learned the threat had passed. Nightwing had stayed behind to assist Robin in rounding up the remaining criminals involved in Scarecrow's plans. He had even donned the Batsuit on occasion to keep Gotham's crime at bay. It wouldn't do for the criminals to realize that Batman was indisposed. He had kept a low profile while he had masqueraded as Batman. At least, as low of a profile as anyone can keep while running around dressed as a bat. He hadn't wanted to get close enough to anyone for them to realize it wasn't the real Batman. It wasn't necessarily Batman's skills that sent the criminals running. It was his myth. A few glimpses of someone in the Batsuit patrolling Gotham were enough to keep that myth alive.

Gordon knew, of course. Robin had told him what had happened with Scarecrow and the Arkham Knight. And with Batman afterwards. Gordon hadn't told anyone, not even his own men. He knew as well as Robin how important the symbol of the Batman was.

Gradually, Bruce had opened back up to the world around him. Robin would find him in the Batcave more and more often, though he was still wheelchair-bound on account of his leg. Bruce would inform Robin of some crime that he wanted him to look into and Robin would go out into Gotham, acting on his orders, gathering intel, catching the criminals. When he would return, the process would start over again. It wasn't much, but at least Bruce was talking again.

They only spoke of Jason once, on the night of his funeral. Bruce had explained to them what had occurred that night. They had been so shocked by the story that they hadn't even known what to say. Condolences had seemed too meaningless to offer. He had simply told them his story then rolled himself from the room, refusing even Alfred's help, leaving them glancing at each other in the solemn silence that had followed. Robin had been too afraid that Bruce would shut them out again to bring Jason up after that.

Tonight was the first time Bruce had donned the cowl since that night. The doctors weren't happy about it. They, at least, were content that Bruce had hung up his cape for a few months.

Lucius had prepared a suit that would support Bruce's leg once he had learned that Bruce had awoken. He had figured Bruce wouldn't follow the doctors' orders to rest. He’d been shocked when Robin had told him that Bruce had no use for the new suit for the time being. That he spent most of his days locked away in his room.

But tonight Bruce had grabbed the new suit out of its case, telling Robin and Nightwing that they needed to meet. At the sound of Nightwing's voice, he turned and faced them.

"I'm sorry about these last few months."

Whatever Robin had been expecting, it certainly wasn't this. By the look on Nightwing's face, he felt the same way.

"It's time I stop hiding from the truth. Jason's dead. And nothing I do will ever change that. I turned my back on Gotham. I turned my back on you two."

"Bruce. Believe me, we understand. And we don't blame you for anything," Robin offered, Nightwing agreeing with a silent nod of his head.

"I appreciate it, really. But it still doesn't excuse my behavior. I swore that I would protect Gotham, no matter what. It's time I remembered that," Batman announced, determination and purpose replacing the vacant sadness that had plagued his face over the last two months.

"In that case," Nightwing said, a proud smile creeping over his visage, "I think it's about time I got back to Bludhaven. I'm sure the criminals have gotten cocky in my absence. It's so much more fun to take them down when they're like that. If you need me," he said as he backed toward the edge of the roof, "you know where to find me." He gave a witty salute as he jumped backwards over the edge, dropping from sight in an instant.

Robin and Batman turned to face each other after Nightwing's departure.

"I think it's about time we show Gotham's criminals whose city this really is," Batman said, gesturing over his shoulder with his head. The fire that had once burned in Batman's eyes caught again, the small flames amplifying and spreading.

"Agreed." Robin liked what he saw in those eyes. This was the Batman he knew. The one spoken about in hushed whispers by those against him. And in triumphant cheers by those he saved.

When Batman turned away, Robin stopped him, saying, "And Bruce?"

Batman turned back, raising his eyebrows in a silent question.

"Next time, I'm coming with you."

The fire blazed into a raging inferno. One that would strike fear into the hearts of those unfortunate enough to meet his gaze. One that would inspire hope throughout Gotham.

"Agreed."

**Epilogue**

It was a rare, clear day in Gotham. A slight breeze rustled the leaves of the large oak at the top of the hill. The sun shone down through the branches, providing a pleasant warmth in the evening air. Batman stood beneath the tree, gazing at the three tombstones situated next to its roots.

He had chosen that location when he was a child, after his parents had been gunned down that fateful night. The tree had been one of his favorite hangouts and he could always be close to his parents that way. He had chosen the location again just a few months ago. He could think of no better place to bury Jason. Could think of no better parting gift than to place him among those he cherished the most.

Oddly enough, he had never felt angry over Jason's death. Just sadness. And guilt. Guilt that when someone he cared for needed him the most, he couldn't help him. It didn't matter the circumstances. He had failed.

But Jason's death had made him realize something. That he couldn't save everyone. Not by himself. Maybe if Robin had been there...

No.

It wouldn't do to dwell on the past. He could only look to the future and change, adapt.

He wouldn't fail again.

His eyes scanned the inscription on the tombstone in front of him. He had chosen the words himself:

JASON PETER TODD  
1995-2015

PROTECTOR OF GOTHAM  
DEFENDER OF JUSTICE  
TO THE VERY END

-FOREVER ROBIN-

He would do better from now on. He wasn't alone in this fight. Never had been. He had just been too stubborn to realize it. It was time to move forward. Charge onward towards a brighter future and never turn back.

No more regrets.

Bruce stepped forward and placed a single rose on top of the headstone.

"Goodbye, Jason."

In the gathering dusk, the Bat Symbol blared across the sky.

It was time. Time to become the thing every criminal in Gotham feared the most. Time to become a nightmare incarnate, striving against all odds to save the city. Time to become the Batman.

**THE END**

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I have to say, I'm pretty happy with how this one turned out. It ended up being so much better than I thought it would be when I started writing it. Sorry it got so heavy in the middle there, but that's just the way I saw it in my head. I tried to think of different endings for Jason but I just kept coming back to this one. Also, I apologize to all of the Batman aficionados out there if my characters don’t necessarily fit with the overall universe. My characters are based solely on the models in the game because I’ve actually never read any of the comics (I know. It’s blasphemy, but there you have it.) I hope you enjoyed it! Please review/comment. I love hearing feedback! :)


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